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International Conference on Computer Supported Education

CSEDU 2018: Computer Supported Education pp 328–356Cite as

A Systematic Mapping Study on Game Elements and Serious Games for Learning Programming

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Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1022))

Abstract

This work aims to verify how serious games and their composing elements are used and evaluated to support learning programming. Serious games have been used as a tool to support learning in several areas and subjects. To achieve its educational goals, a serious game must consist of a set of game elements that are related to the learning outcomes. In Computer Science, educators are also using serious games and their elements to enhance learning of programming-related disciplines, which are often considered challenging by first-year students. To achieve our goal we defined three research questions: (1) What are the serious games for learning programming? (2) What are the game elements in the serious games for learning programming? and (3) What is the empirical strategies and methods used to evaluate existing game elements? A systematic mapping study on the use and evaluation of game elements for learning programming was conducted. Our systematic literature search found 27 elements of games distributed in 43 serious games. The elements of games are present in 39 primary studies that date from 2007 to 2016. The elements of games more reported in the literature were: Fantasy, Goal, Level, Point System, and Quest. Our results also indicate that game elements are only evaluated indirectly by means of their serious games. Furthermore, we identify some shortcomings in primary studies found, such as the lack of systematic evaluation, for instance, by means of controlled experiments and the low number of quantitative studies.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    https://dl.acm.org/.

  2. 2.

    http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/home.jsp.

  3. 3.

    http://www.sciencedirect.com/.

  4. 4.

    https://link.springer.com/.

  5. 5.

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/.

  6. 6.

    https://www.codingame.com/.

  7. 7.

    https://www.codewars.com/.

  8. 8.

    http://codemancergame.com/.

  9. 9.

    http://www.codewarriorsgame.com/.

  10. 10.

    https://codecombat.com/.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Adriano Lages dos Santos & Eduardo Figueiredo

  2. State University of Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Brazil

    Maurício R. A. Souza & Marcela Dayrell

Authors
  1. Adriano Lages dos Santos
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  2. Maurício R. A. Souza
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  3. Marcela Dayrell
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  4. Eduardo Figueiredo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adriano Lages dos Santos .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Bruce M. McLaren

  2. MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Rob Reilly

  3. University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Susan Zvacek

  4. University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, UK

    James Uhomoibhi

Appendix

Appendix

List of the Selected Primary Studies and Publication Venues

[Alhazbi2010] Saleh Alhazbi, Loay Sabry Ismail. “Supportive Online Learning Environment to Improve students’ Satisfaction in Object-Oriented Programming Courses”, International Congress on Engineering Education.

[Ansari2014] Nazneen Ansari, Noopur Parikh, Anagha Narvekar, Manjiri Phatapekar, Anita Yadav. “GamEd - Learning Data Structure Algorithm using Computer Game”, International Conference on Advances in Engineering & Technology.

[Barnes2007] Tiffany Barnes, Heather Richter, Amanda Chaffin, Alex Godwin, Eve Powell, Tiffany Ralph, Paige Matthews, Hyun Jordan. “Game2Learn: A study of games as tools for learning introductory programming concepts”,

SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education.

[Bishop2015] Judith Bishop, R. Nigel Horspool, Tao Xie, Nikolai Tillmann, Jonathan de Halleux. “Code Hunt: Experience with Coding Contests at Scale”, Proceedings of the 37th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE – JSEET Track).

[Bowles2007] John B. Bowles. “Cell Phone Games for a CS2 Data Structures Course”, Proceedings of the 45th annual southeast regional conference ACMSE.

[Chaffin2009] Amanda Chaffin, Katelyn Doran, Drew Hicks, and Tiffany Barnes. “Experimental Evaluation of Teaching Recursion in a Video Game”, ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Video Games.

[Chang2010] Maiga Chang and Kinshuk. “Web-based Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MORPG) for Assessing Students Java Programming Knowledge and Skills”, IEEE International Conference on Digital Game and Intelligent Toy Enhanced Learning.

[Chen2009] Yan Chen, Ching-Song Wei, Jiann-Gwo Doong. “A 3D Virtual World Teaching and Learning Platform for Computer Science Courses in Second Life”, IEEE International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Software Engineering.

[Coelho2013] Antonio Coelho, Enrique Kato, João Xavier, Ricardo Goncalves. “Serious Game for Introductory Programming”, International Conference on Serious Games Development and Applications.

[Costa2014] Estevan B. Costa, Armando M. Toda, Marcell A. A. Mesquita, Jacques D. Brancher. “DSLEP (Data Structure Learning Platform to Aid in Higher Education IT Courses)”, International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering.

[Dicheva2016] Darina Dicheva, Austin Hodge, Christo Dichev, Keith Irwin. “On the Design of an Educational Game for a Data Structures Course”, International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and learning for Engineering.

[Eagle2009] Michael Eagle, Tiffany Barnes. “Experimental Evaluation of an Educational Game for Improved Learning in Introductory Computing”, ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education.

[Esteves2010] Micaela Esteves, Benjamim Fonseca, Leonel Morgado and Paulo Martins. “Improving teaching and learning of computer programming through the use of the Second Life virtual world”, British Journal of Educational Technology.

[Hakulinen2011] Lasse Hakulinen. “Card Games for Teaching Data Structures and Algorithms”, Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research.

[Hicks2010] Andrew Hicks. “Towards Social Gaming Methods for Improving Gamebased Computer Science Education”, International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games.

[Jimenez-Diaz2007] Guillermo Jiménez-Díaz, Mercedes Gómez-Albarrán, Pedro A. González-Calero. “Pass the Ball: Game-based Learning of Software Design”, Entertainment computing - ICEC.

[Karapinar2012a] Zehra KARAPINAR, Arafat SENTURK, Sultan ZAVRAK, Resul KARA, Pakize ERDOGMUS. “A game to test pointers: path finding”, Information technology Based Higher Education and Training.

[Karapinar2012b] Zehra KARAPINAR, Arafat SENTURK, Sultan ZAVRAK, Resul KARA, Pakize ERDOGMUS. “Binary Apple Tree: A game approach to tree transversal algorithms”, Information technology Based Higher Education and Training.

[Kaur2015] Navneet Kaur, G Geetha. “Play and learn DS: Interactive and gameful learning of data structure”, International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning.

[Kazimoglu2012] Cagin Kazimoglu, Mary Kiernan, Liz Bacon, Lachlan Mackinnon. “A serious game for developing computational thinking and learning introductory computer programming”, Cyprus International Conference on Educational Research.

[Khenissi2013] Mohamed Ali Khenissi, Fathi Essalmi, Mohamed Jemni. “A learning version of pacman game”, Information and Communication technology and Accessibility.

[Laguna2014] Ángel Serrano-Laguna, Javier Torrente, Borja Manero, Baltasar Fernandez-Manjon. “A game engine to learn computer science languages”, IEEE Frontiers in Education.

[Melero2012] Javier Melero, Davinia Hernández-Leo, Josep Blat. “Considerations for the design of mini-games integrating hints for puzzle solving ICT-related concepts”, International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies.

[Mitamura2012] Tamotsu Mitamura, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Takahumi Oohori. “Serious Games for Learning Programming Languages”, IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[Moreno2013] Andres Moreno, Erkki Sutinen, Carolina Islas Sedano. “A game concept using conflictive animations for learning programming”, IEEE Games Innovation Conference.

[Rais2011] Aimi Elliyana Rais, Shahida Sulaiman, Sharifah Mashita Syed-Mohamad. “Game-based Approach and its Feasibility to Support the Learning of Object-Oriented Concepts and Programming”, Malaysian Conference in Software Engineering.

[Rossiou2007] Eleni Rossiou and Spyros Papadakis. “Educational Games in Higher Education: a case study in teaching recursive algorithms”, Education in a Change Environment Conference.

[Sanchez2016] Eric Sanchez, Shawn Young, Caroline Jouneau-Sion. “Classcraft: from gamification to ludicization of classroom management”, Education and Information Technologies.

[Shabanah2010] Sahar S. Shabanah, Jim X. Chen, Harry Wechsler, Daniel Carr, Edward Wegman. “Designing Computer Games to Teach Algorithms”, International Conference on Information Technology.

[Sindre2009] Guttorm Sindre, Lasse Natvig, and Magnus Jahre. “Experimental Validation of the Learning Effect for a Pedagogical Game on Computer fundamentals”, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION.

[South2013] David South, Austin Ray, Kevin Thomas, Stephanie Graham, Shiloh Huff, Sarah Rainge, Mary Shuman, Mohan Sridharan, Susan D. Urban, Joseph E. Urban. “DOROTHY: Integrating Graphical Programming with Robotics to Stimulate Interest in Computing Careers”, Proceedings of Alice Symposium on Alice Symposium.

[Tsalikidis2016] Konstantinos Tsalikidis, George Pavlidis. “jLegends: Online game to train programming skills”, IEEE International Conference on Information, Intelligence, Systems & Applications (IISA).

[Vahldick2015] Adilson Vahldick, Antonio Jose Mendes, Maria José Marcelino. “Analysing the Enjoyment of a Serious Game for Programming Learning with two Unrelated Higher Education Audiences”, European Conference on Games Based Learning.

[Ventura2015] Matthew Ventura, John Ventura, Chad Baker, Grant Viklund, Randall Roth, Jonas Broughman. “Development of a Video Game that Teaches the Fundamentals of Computer Programming”, IEEE SoutheastCon.

[Wassila2012] Debabi Wassila, Bensebaa Tahar. “Using Serious game to simplify algorithm learning”, International Conference on Education and e-Learning Innovations.

[Wong2007] Wai-Tak Wong and Yu-Min Chou. “An Interactive Bomberman Game-Based Teaching/Learning Tool for Introductory C Programming”, Transactions on Edutainment.

[Zhang2014] Jinghua Zhang, Mustafa Atay, Emanuel Smith, Elvira R. Caldwell, Elva J. Jones. “Using a Game-Like Module to Reinforce Student Understanding of Recursion”, IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference.

[Zhang2015] Jinghua Zhang, Mustafa Atay, Elvira R. Caldwell, Elva J. Jones. “Reinforcing Student Understanding of Linked List Operations in a Game”, IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference.

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dos Santos, A.L., Souza, M.R.A., Dayrell, M., Figueiredo, E. (2019). A Systematic Mapping Study on Game Elements and Serious Games for Learning Programming. In: McLaren, B., Reilly, R., Zvacek, S., Uhomoibhi, J. (eds) Computer Supported Education. CSEDU 2018. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1022. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21151-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21151-6_17

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